Intermittent laying from whole flock

[mistertimbee]

Hi, this is my first post here having just joined - I can see how helpful other members are from the other threads here.

We have a small flock of 5, mixed breeds, from a reputable seller. They are in a coop big enough for them (designed for up to 8 hens), with a partially covered and partially covered run, open to the sides. They are on wood chips. The original flock of 3 laid well at first, but after a few months the supply dried up. They seem otherwise healthy, display normal behaviour and no red mite or lice as far as we can see. We introduced two new hens a couple of weeks ago, and since then the laying has gone up slightly, but still only one or at most two a day from the entire flock.

Can anyone suggest why this might be? Have we inadvertently created a poor environment? Are they too bored - in which case how can we amuse them?

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[sourland]

Are you feeding a balanced laying feed to your birds ? It may be that they are old and beyond their productive years, birds that are not prolific layers, or they may be simply taking a break in their laying cycle.

 

[azygous]

With a bit more information I think we can help.
-Where do you live?
-Is it fall there?
-How old are these hens?
-How long have you had them?
-What are you feeding them?
-How many nests?
-Are they private with cover and safe in a quiet place?

 

[Ridgerunner]

With a bit more information I think we can help.
-Where do you live?
-Is it fall there?
-How old are these hens?
-How long have you had them?
-What are you feeding them?
-How many nests?
-Are they private with cover and safe in a quiet place?

All good questions that might help us. I'll add a few.
-Are you seeing a lot of feathers flying around?
-How big in feet or meters is that coop and the run? If you can, a photo might really help us.
-What types of temperatures are you seeing?
-Do they always have access to water?
-How dark is their coop at night?

There are several different possible reasons hens may stop or reduce laying. Molting is the normal culprit. Them hiding a nest on you is also pretty common. It's possible something is getting the eggs. If there are no traces the usual culprits are snake, canine, or human but depending on where you are there may be other candidates. Old age reduces laying. Stress can cause a drop in production. That could come from extreme heat or cold, running out of water, disruptions from people, animals, or equipment, changes in where they live, or too much light at night. Adding or removing chickens can temporarily change the pecking order. A lot of these will not apply to you but you are looking at them so I'll mention them.

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[sawilliams]

With only 5 players I would only expect 2-4 eggs a day but if you aren't getting at least 3 regularly I would agree it seems low. Answer some of the questions above, that would give everyone a bet idea what is happening and what future questions are needed to resolve your trouble.